The Impact of Amblyopia (v 1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Impact of Amblyopia: Reasons for not accessing treatment and the effect on developing literacy skills in young children.
IRAS ID
138738
Contact name
Alison Bruce
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Research summary
The data of children participating in the Born in Bradford research project will be linked with the results of the routine vision assessments collected as part of the annual Bradford Vision Screening programme. The Vision Screening of 4-5 year old children takes place annually in school during Reception class and follows the UK National Screening Committee recommendations.
Firstly the impact of early life factors (birth weight, duration of pregnancy and background) on children’s visual status will be investigated. This comprehensive data collected as part of the BiB cohort study will allow for adjustment for multiple potential effects providing a reliable picture of vision, access to children’s eye care and association with developing literacy skills in an ethnically diverse population.
Data collected from routine vision screening in combination with the measurement of literacy levels in the BiB cohort of children during Reception year at school will deliver a detailed profile of visual status prior to any treatment and allow an assessment of links between vision and literacy levels. To determine the impact of failing to access treatment for reduced vision on both vision and on developing literacy skills both the vision and the literacy tests will be repeated 12 months later.
Early detection programmes can only be effective if those identified with poor vision are appropriately treated. Data obtained from local research has shown that around 31% fail to attend follow up and treatment. Therefore a high proportion of children with identified needs do not access eye services and subsequent treatment. In order to determine factors associated with non-attendance and explore reasons for non-participation in eye care, children who are non-attendees will be identified via the School Vision Screening data base and a profile of characteristics of non-attendees will be established. This will be compared to the profile of characteristics of those children who attend follow-up appointments. The barriers to accessing children’s eye services will be explored using qualitative methodology; interviews will be conducted with parents/carers of the BiB cohort of children to explore attitudes, practicalities and health beliefs which may influence non-attendance.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/YH/0379
Date of REC Opinion
30 Dec 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion